Sound Walk and Survey

You are invited to take part in a self-guided sound walk in downtown Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Turtle Island.
See a map of all three locations.
Participants will need a wifi-enabled device (like a smartphone or tablet) and attached headphones in order to access the recordings and surveys.

  • The sound walk features three distinct, binaural recordings calibrated for headphone listening in three specific locations.

    You are encouraged to fill out a brief survey after each listen. This survey is part of Nathan Stretch’s PhD research into the Ethical Significance of Nonrepresentational Art and Music in Public Commons.

    You may partake in the sound installations in sequence, immediately after one-another, or over a number of days and weeks. You are welcome to listen to the recordings once or multiple times. Each recording was designed to incorporate the immediately presenting soundscape of each location — making each listening experience unique. So don’t worry if the sounds of the cafe, library, or city hall leak into your listening session: it’s all part of it!

    You are entitled to a free coffee or cold drink at Fresh Ground while listening to “The Music of The Working Centre: Fresh Ground”. Show the workers at the counter this webpage as proof to receive your free drink,. You are also entitled to compensation in the form of an emailed $10 voucher at Fresh Ground if you complete a survey. This voucher will be emailed to you.

Fresh Ground Cafe, 256 King Street East, Kitchener, ON

Open Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10am-6pm

Interior of a cozy cafe with wooden tables and transparent chairs, hanging plants, and large windows showing street view outside, with a person sitting at a table.

Listen to “The Music of The Working Centre: Fresh Ground”

  • This binaural recording has been specifically calibrated for headphone listening within Fresh Ground’s cafe event space.

    • Sit facing King Street East, near the middle of the room, at a table second closest to the back (living) wall.

  • This recording is approximately 25 minutes long.

Take a brief survey about … Fresh Ground

Kitchener Public Library - Central, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener, ON

Open Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9am-9pm; Friday and Saturday, 9am-5pm

A person on a red lift working among numerous red and white confetti pieces or paper strips hanging from above.

Listen to “In-Flux”

  • This binaural recording has been specifically calibrated for headphone listening on level 2 of Kitchener Public Library’s Central atrium.

    • Stand facing the hanging installation “Flux” with your back to the twin canvases “Haldimand Proclamation, 2020”. Your left shoulder should be about 1.5 ft from a rectangular white post.

  • This recording is approximately 9 minutes long.

Take a brief survey about In-Flux

Kitchener City Hall - Rotunda, 200 King Street West, Kitchener, ON

Open Hours: Monday to Friday, 7am-9pm; Saturday 9am-9pm; Sunday, 9am-9:30pm

Interior of a modern building with a high ceiling and large windows, featuring a hanging art installation of hanging strips and metal rods. A small group of people are setting up equipment around a potted tree near the entrance.

Listen to “Aloft: Topping Off Ceremony”

  • This binaural recording has been specifically calibrated for headphone listening in City Hall’s central rotunda

    • Stand with your back against the brown, wood paneled “section” at the far end of the rotunda relative to City Hall’s front doors. Face the interior of the rotunda. The curved staircase leading to the second floor is behind you. One section over, to your right, is a selection of leafy plants in elevated planters.

  • This recording is approximately 14 minutes long.

Take a brief survey about Aloft…

Contact Nathan Stretch

…with any questions, comments or concerns.
I will return your message as quickly as possible.